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May 31, 2022 | Tom Ballard

Global Action Platform selects 10 leaders to built biomedical cluster strategy for Middle Tennessee

Ten government, business, academic, and nonprofit leaders mainly from Middle Tennessee have been chosen by Global Action Platform for a Harvard Business School leadership program convening representatives from fifteen American cities who are working across sectors to help their communities prosper.

According to last week’s announcement, the 10 were selected to comprise a task force to build a biomedical cluster strategy for the region, using Michael Porter’s cluster models developed at HBS. They are: 

  • Aaron Barrett, Senior Vice President, Ingram Barge;
  • Charleson Bell, Director of Biomedical Innovation and Research Professor, Vanderbilt University;
  • Joe Cook III, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Mountain Group Partners;
  • Robert Higgins, Vice Chairman of the Board, Greater Nashville Chamber of Commerce and President and Chief Executive Officer of Barge Design Solutions;
  • Eller Mallchok Kelliher, Partner, SeedToB Capital;
  • Veronica Mallett, Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of the More in Common Alliance and Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Morehouse School of Medicine;
  • Ryan Ramkhelawan of Memphis, Vice President of Venture Development for Start Co;
  • Manisha Shah, Regional Vice President – Behavior Health at HCA Healthcare;
  • Abby Trotter, Executive Director, Life Science Tennessee; and
  • George Wilson, Assistant Director of New Venture Programs at Vanderbilt.


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